As a video compression/encoding scheme to be performed for digital broadcasts and when recording to DVDs, MPEG encoding schemes are generally used. An MPEG encoding scheme is an encoding process which adaptively switches between the following encoding processes for image data: an intra-frame encoding process, which encodes image data by utilizing intra-frame correlations of pixel values; and an inter-frame encoding process, which encodes image data by utilizing inter-frame correlations of pixel values. In an MPEG encoding scheme, an image data encoding process is performed by regarding encoded data corresponding to a plurality of successive frames as one unit. For example, MPEG2 video is define in ISO/IEC 13818-2, whereas MPEG1 video is defined in ISO/IEC 11172-2.
Digital transmission of a television signal, e.g. a BS digital broadcast, is performed in the form of an MPEG transport stream, which is defined in ISO/IEC 13818-1 (MPEG2 system). An MPEG transport stream is obtained by subjecting video and audio to compression/encoding. An MPEG transport stream is directly written on a high-density and large-capacity disk which data is written on and read from by using a blue/violet laser, i.e., a Blu-ray disc (hereinafter “BD”).
As another encoded stream which is obtained through compression/encoding, an MPEG program stream is also known. An MPEG program stream is an encoded stream in which the respective encoded data of video having the definition of a standard television signal and audio are multiplexed. An MPEG program stream is written on a DVD-RAM in accordance with the DVD recording standard, and written on a DVD-R medium in accordance with the DVD video standard so as to enable playback on a DVD player. Note that the DVD recording standard is described in, for example, ISO/IEC 13818-1, supra, as well as in DVD Specifications for Rewritable/Re-recordable Discs, Part 3, Video Recording, Version 1.0, September 1999 (VR pp. 1-3). The DVD video standard is described in, for example, DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc Part 3.
There have conventionally been known apparatuses which are capable of recording video data concerning video and the like (e.g. data of a broadcast program) onto a removable storage medium mentioned above, e.g., a BD medium, a DVD-RAM medium, or a DVD-R medium, as well as onto a fixed storage medium, e.g., a hard disk. When such an apparatus performs a splice-recording, where it transitions from a recording process for the removable storage medium to a recording process for the fixed storage medium, an overlap period is observed in the video portion that is recorded on each medium, thus realizing continuous playback across the spliced portion. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-281436 discloses such an apparatus.
Recording onto the aforementioned BD medium, DVD-RAM medium, and DVD-R medium is each performed in a different recording format. Therefore, in the case of a splice-recording, a recording process is to be performed in a recording format which is in accordance with each of a plurality of types of optical disks, and thereafter recording is to be performed for the hard disk. At this time, if the recording onto the hard disk is performed in a different recording format from that for the optical disk, then, during a reproduction process of the spliced portion, it becomes necessary to switch between the reproduction processes for the corresponding recording formats, which hinders smooth and continuous playback. Moreover, although some recording apparatuses are capable of mounting a plurality of types of removable storage media, it has conventionally been uncontemplated to record a program in such a manner as to be split between a plurality of types of removable storage media and a hard disk.
An objective of the present invention is to facilitate a recording process and a playback process even in the case where a splice-recording is performed between a plurality of types of storage media and another storage medium.